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Canku
Ota
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(Many
Paths)
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An
Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
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November
15,
2003 - Issue 100
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It's
Cranberry Time
Cranberries
are one of the few fruits native to North America. In
fact, long before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock,
cranberries were a staple in the diets of American Indians.
According
to The Cranberry Book (1883), wild cranberries ripened
in such abundance that they were eaten fresh, ground,
or mashed with cornmeal and baked into bread. Dried
berries were mixed with wild game to form pemmican,
a survival ration for long trips. Maple sugar or honey
was used to sweeten the berries' tangy flavor.
Cranberry
juice was used by the Indians to dye rugs and blankets.
They made poultices from unripe berries, and even believed
the berry had special powers to calm the nerves.
This
cheery little fruit adds more than just zip to your
meals! It's high in fiber, has just 25 calories per
1/2 cup, and provides over 10% of the recommended daily
allowance of Vitamin C. Cranberries are also low in
sodium and are a source of Vitamins A & B, calcium,
phosphorus, and iron.
Special
powers aside, one thing is certain -- cranberries taste
great! The following recipes are some of our favorites.
Try them yourself and see if you don't agree that cranberries
make everything taste better!
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Cranberry-Apple
Compote
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Ingredients:
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1 cup orange
juice
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1 teaspoon grated
orange rind
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1 (3-inch) cinnamon
stick
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4 cups fresh
or frozen cranberries
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1 1/4 cups diced
peeled Granny Smith apple
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1/2 cup maple
syrup
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Directions: |
Combine the first 3
ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 5
minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add the cranberries and
diced apple; cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in syrup, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Discard the
cinnamon stick. Serve compote at room temperature.
Yield: 9 servings (serving size:
1/3 cup)
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Cranberry
Streusel Pie
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Ingredients:
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1/2 (15-ounce)
package refrigerated piecrusts
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2 cups fresh
or frozen cranberries
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1/4 cup sugar
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1/4 cup firmly
packed light brown sugar
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1/2 cup chopped
walnuts
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1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
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1 large egg
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1/4 cup butter
or margarine, melted
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1/3 cup sugar
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3 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
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Directions:
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Fit
piecrust into a 9-inch pieplate according to package directions;
fold edges under, and crimp.
Stir together cranberries and next 4 ingredients, and spoon
in-to piecrust.
Whisk
together egg and remaining ingredients, and pour over cranberry
mixture.
Bake
at 400° for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°,
and bake 30 minutes.
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Cran-Apple
Relish
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Ingredients:
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- 5 cups chopped peeled cooking
apple (such as McIntosh or Braeburn; 2 pounds)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
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Directions:
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Combine
all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally; continue
to cook until thick (about 30 minutes), stirring frequently.
Discard cinnamon. Mash with a potato masher. Cover and chill.
Yield:
18 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)
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Candied
Cranberries
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Ingredients:
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- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup hot water
- 3/4 cup cranberry-apple juice
drink
- 3 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
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Directions:
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Combine first
3 ingredients in a small nonaluminum saucepan. Bring to a
boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sugar dissolves,
stirring occasionally.
Remove from
heat and pour syrup mixture over cranberries in a medium-size
heatproof bowl. Place bowl on a steamer rack in a large Dutch
oven over simmering water. Cover and steam 30 minutes. Remove
bowl of cranberries. Let cool completely without stirring.
Cover bowl with cheesecloth;
let stand at room temperature for 3 days, stirring occasionally.
(Mixture will become thick.)
Transfer cranberries, using
a slotted spoon, to a large mesh wire rack placed over a wax
paper-lined jellyroll pan. Store cranberry syrup in a glass
container in refrigerator for another use. Let fruit dry,
uncovered, for 2 to 3 days, turning occasionally.
Note: Candied Cranberries
can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 weeks ahead.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups candied
cranberries and 2 cups syrup
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Dancing
Cranberries: Wisconsin Nutrition Education Network |
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